Part 14: After the Rains

A week later

Things were quiet at Mia’s house—too quiet. They’d temporarily stopped working on the house so Jack could get some rest. They’d covered up the hole in the dining room as best they could. Mia sat on the balcony looking out over the water and sighed. She didn’t know when things would be back to normal. Jack hadn’t said a word since they brought him back from Gozhe. He lay in bed all day just staring off into space. It was like he’d lost the will to live. Everyone was afraid he might try to hurt himself so they took turns watching him and making sure he ate. Astarte was the most successful at that—for obvious reasons. Anubis spent a lot of time with him, too. He thought talking about his own experiences might help. An oppressive gloom hung over the house.

Gilgamesh and Astarte opened the sliding glass door and came out to join her. The two of them had been trying to change the armor back into what the clan of Ancients had intended it to be. They both had some experience with forging armor and weapons. Being a Goddess of Life and a Goddess of War also gave Astarte insight into how they might be able to cleanse Jack and the armor.

“Any progress?”

Gilgamesh shook her head. “Not much. We’ve alleviated some of the Dynasty’s influence in the armor, but it’s still tainted. That’s why Jack remains as he is. The Sentinel armors are part of us, in harmony with who we are. Jack can’t be in harmony with his armor without becoming a monster. He’s struggling with the twisted nature of the Armor of Storms. We don’t know how badly that’s affecting his mind, body, and spirit.”

“Then he’s going to stay like this?”

Astarte refused to accept that. “We will not give up. I sent for help. Not all of the gods are dead and I still have some friends among the various pantheons. A few of them are healers. I called and they answered. Kayura is also here. She believes the power of the Ancients can help.”

Mia brightened a little. “Then there’s hope?”

Astarte put a comforting arm around her shoulder. “Where there’s life, there’s hope.”

That evening their unusual guests finally came out of Jack’s room. Kayura looked haggard. “We have done all we can. The rest is up to Jack. It’s been a long day and I must get back home. The others can fill you in.” She disappeared in a column of light.

A short woman of middle-eastern appearance and a stately African woman strode over to speak to Astarte in hushed tones. The short woman then walked away and vanished. The other woman then turned and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Astarte turned to the others. “I apologize if their manners appear rude. Goddesses are often capricious. The short one was Gula, a healer from Mesoptamia, near where I held sway millenia ago. The African woman was Aja, a Yoruba medicine deity. And although he would not come, I have been consulting a god of wisdom known as Vohu Manah. They have all done much more that Gilgamesh and I alone could accomplish. We were able to lessen the influence of the evil within the armor, but not destroy it completely. Together the five of us have managed to layer good magics over the evil. That will ensure the armor does not ever control the wearer again. Unfortunately, it will still be able to subtlely shade the owner’s emotions and reactions. We have also helped Jack heal as well. But here is the biggest problem. A part of him does not wish to be healed. He still sees himself as a horrible monster that deserves to die. No one can make this decision for him--whether or not Jack returns to land of the living is now up to him.”

They all ate dinner pretty much in silence that night. Even though a lot of good had been done, things weren’t right yet.

Anubis sat with Jack for hours every day. Jack never spoke, just stared blankly at the wall. Anubis decided to tell Jack something he had not shared with any of the others, something he thought might help. He told him about having to face the woman he loved when he’d been the one who killed her entire family--how painful that confrontation had been. But also how liberating. “We can’t change the past, Jack. We can only go on.”

Jack turned to him, a strange expression on his face. His voice sounded so old and so tired. “Why? Why must we go on?”

Those were the first words he’d spoken since they’d gotten back. Anubis was ecstatic but he didn’t want to make a big deal about it and upset Jack. “Because the future has not been written yet. There is evil out there, Jack. Great evil. We have the power to make a difference. Should we do nothing and let that evil run rampart over the world, killing and destroying? You have the power to help others, but you have to help yourself first.” Anubis went around to the other side of the bed and pulled back the curtains. He opened the window. They could hear the voices of the Ronins and Sentinels drifting up to the second floor from the patio below, clear as day. “I know it seems hard to believe now, but the worst is over. Things can only get better. And no matter what, you’ll never have to face your demons alone.” Jack didn’t reply. Anubis didn’t say anything else, either—just leaned out the window, looking down at the others. They sat in silence for some time, listening to the conversations from below.

Mia was trying to lighten the mood by having a barbecue on the patio. Sage was grilling hamburgers. Everyone watched in horrid fascination as Gilgamesh and Kento wolfed down burger after burger.

Sai shook his head. “I didn’t think anyone could eat as much as Kento.”

Astarte laughed. “He eats like this all the time. I think he’s making up for all the years he was immortal and didn’t need to eat. I’m glad Ryo bought plenty of food at the store or there would be nothing for the rest of us.”

Kento got up and went back to the grill for more. Sage smiled. “So my burgers are so good, you can’t resist them, huh?”

Kento looked serious. “They’re okay, I guess. But you didn’t cook ‘em long enough—they’re practically raw.” Kento scarfed down another. “But that’s okay, ‘cause I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!”

“How about my fist? So they’re not done enough for you? Well I can fix that! Hold out your plate.” Sage slapped two burgers on Kento’s plate and stepped back. “ARMOR OF HALO…”

“Uh…Sage? What are you doing?” Kento took three steps back. Zoe stifled a giggle.

“THUNDER BOLT…”

Kento dropped his plate and ran into the house. Sage smiled and got rid of his armor.

Everyone was laughing. Mia heard laughter from above and looked up. Anubis and Jack stood in the window looking down. Jack’s chuckles were quiet, a little self-conscious. A lightness touched his eyes. Maybe things would be okay after all.